Legislators rely on public input when crafting legislation, and it is important that they hear from people during the interim. This week I will review the charges for the Committee on Insurance, which has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to: insurance and the insurance industry; and all insurance companies and other organizations of any type writing or issuing policies of insurance in the State of
House Committee on Insurance
- Study title insurance rates and whether changes to the current ratemaking process would be beneficial to consumers.
- Examine the Texas Department of Insurance's (TDI) recently adopted procedural rule allowing a title insurance company to issue a policy containing a general exception from coverage for minerals. Determine whether the procedural rule governing the use of the Minerals and Surface Damage Endorsements Forms should result in a different rate schedule for policies. Study the appropriateness, feasibility, and sustainability of title insurance companies writing the type of policy now required by the rule.
- Study whether a new system or process should be employed to expedite appeals by insurers against TDI in homeowner's rate cases.
- Monitor implementation of the Healthy Texas insurance program established by recent legislation.
- Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction: the Texas Department of Insurance; the Texas Health Benefits Purchasing Cooperative; and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel.
The House Committee on Insurance can be reached at (512) 463-0788. For more information on these charges or any other matter of state government, please contact my office by writing to